Harness frame for looms



N0V 18, 1952 P. c. coNsoLr-:TTI

HARNESS FRAME FOR LOOMS Filed Feb. 18, 1950 L 4 n 1|. v a n L l-: w n Y m 9 n u j .lv 0

INVENToR. PAUL C'. CoMsoLETT/ A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 18,

raul. o. consolati, Milford .Mase-assigner to DrapenfCo'rpnration, Hopedal'e, Mass., 'a c'orporation of Maine tentato-tegame 18, 19st,; Sentinel-'inta 1i claims.

I is invention to improvements in harnessfra'mes iforloo ,It iS' an biet. 0f the. intention-t0 devise. a harness ,frame for ,Idoniswhih Shallbe. more' compact'shall bel of l' ht vv ight, yet strong'A and rigidthereby A to resist stress" s et during operation thereof yinl modern .ge,..r` eed, e11i1p ment, and to devise suchfairarnehirom light alloys now available atrelativelyklow co s t It is a more' Specie@ biettetrze;mreetinit@ devise a harness trame which shailbe adapted to facilitate drawing of lthe ltv arr'i by one of the well known drawing-in machines now commonly employed. o

Another object o'f. the mention iethat 0f. devising, a. .harness ra'meih, .Whh the needles Shall be'reely Slitlfiblfe i19IIi011,.-e1idt0 the, other of .thel frame and in' Whichhseihddles Shall be mounted on harden d "s'teel grot-.her equivalent bars 01 Supportsfretained `irl a1gl1t1-all0ytrnc'- ture which Would'notand o f itself be suitable for directly supportingthe heddles,

It is a further object o fthe invention todevise a harness frame ofthetypedescribed which shall provide for positively supperting' the heddle carrying bars ornrods throughout substantially their entire.lelththutwhe Shall PIOYiS@ Yfor radt' .remvaliof heddles ,from .the frame 0r ,of the heddlecarrying bars'therefromwith a minimum of effortand Withouts'pecial cools.K A Y Yother obiectsrwiu become .evident from the fol/lowing 'more detailed description.

Harness frames have, with a few exceptions, been constructed of vvo'od'rw'ith metal rails being employed for retainingfthe heddles themselves and along whichthe heddlesmay move. Obviously, there Yare certaindisadvantages -in the use of Wood since it is subject to the-action of moisture and these harness frames Whicl'i-must necessarily be relatively thinand-therefore made from thin strip material, frequently WarpV out of shape and become so distorted that the movement of the -frames in the loom, the freelmovement of heddles along theusupporting rails therein and especially, the manipulation of the'. heddles during drawing in a `vvar'p by one ofgthev Wellknown drawing-in machinesbecomes increasingly dinicult. In obviatingthese and other disadvantages attendant upon the employment of Wood or of frames partially madeirom Wood, the instant invention isdevoted to the constructien'of a frame entirely QIn'etaI-v and-vvhichvis' therefore not atall subject to theinfluence's of moisture and= .which .will retain; rigidity; streng-th vand initial shape'land' dimensions'thioughout a Ylongv period of use'.

(ci. ieteti Y `The preferred forni ofi-harnessframe according to `theV inventiongis constructedf-rom extruded light alloy sections4 such as alu'minum alloyextrusions and cast aluminum parts vemployed therewith andconnectedfthereto byriveting,A or in anypther satisfactory manner.- `The particular shape and dimensions eftfthe said eXtrudedparts areso proportioned as 'toyreclucew Ytht-;overall height prt-he' frame wniiej increasing its strength and rigid-ity and, in fact, the frames devised as hereinafter described -in greaterV detailv are adapted to withstand considerable use andabuse Without any likelihood o'f their becoming unsuitable or unt for operation; Y A

The heddles are carried von upper anddower strips or barswhich are preerably of hardened steel of atype Whichis highlyresistant to-Wear and is not adversely affectedby theheddles which are qonstantlybeine mQved up and donn by the harness umeehanisinand which therefore have a tendency tov impact their supporting bars' and also tomove laterally thereon throughout a limited eXjtent These supporting bars are, contrary to the common. practice heretofore employed, supported throughout their entire .length and retained'laterally throughout'practically or substantially theentire lengththereof by an 'inte'- grally formed part of the extrudedmetalframe members in Awhich they are vseated when the entire assembly hasbeen completed.

These heddle Ysupporting bars are quickly removable, but areretained by means oflatch members carried Within suitable recesses inthe end struts of theiframand'vvhich When locked in position, cannot become accidentally loosened n or Will they permit the heddles threaded thereon to move beyond their intendedrange. This construction provides'f-forthreading orcarrying the heddles Von a;continuous,v Vunobstructed guide means by Which said V-heddles may be slidireely from one sideof Jchef-rame to the other and thus the-bars, While supported Irigidly along substantially theirentire length; warenot in4 any way obstructedinsofar as the heddle carrying surfaces of the bars are concernedr While the preferred form ofthe; -iventinis devotedto aframein Whichthe structural members are either extruded or castof light aluminum or'A other alloys, similar-advantages are -tobe obtained Vwhen the frame' is fabricated from rolled or other steel vor. sheet material as will hereinafter be described in ldetail. The support ot Ythe heddle'fram'es themselves by the harness mechanism is c onveye d V to' vthe frame through cer-tain connecting/meanslwhich are yattached to top and bottom frame rails or to ribs or strips acispee thereon which may preferably have enlarged or beaded portions to which the strap connections or hangers are readily attached and from which they may be detached at will.

The invention will hereinafter be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a completeharness frame with heddles constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section through one of the rails f the harness frame of Fig. 1, said section being taken at line 2-2.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding section, but showing a modified construction in which rolled steel is used in the place of extruded aluminum.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the end struts and a latch carried within a recess in said strut.

Fig. 5 is a section at line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Now referring to Fig. 1, the harness frame comprises top and bottom rails I0 and lI, end struts I2 and I3 and heddle supporting bars or rods I4 and I5. The frame is suspended between harness mechanism of the conventional type which is attached to the frame by connecting means one form of which is indicated as a clamping member I6 having an eye or loop II, each of the clamping means being xed to a beaded rib I3 which forms an integral part of the extruded section, although it is to be understood that the particular connections by means of which the frame is supended forms no particular part of the invention herein described and claimed and therefore need not be disclosed in any particular detail.

Heddles I9 are preferably formed from flat stock and may be of conventional type so long as they are adapted to be hooked over supporting bars I4 and I5 as illustrated in Fig. 2. These heddles are preferably of a type adapted to function with existing drawing-in machinery such as the well known Barber-Coleman drawing-in machines and since their function is well known and since heddles of a type adapted to be employed with these drawing-in machines are readily available, they need not be described in detail here.

Now referring to Fig. 2, one of the rails Il) or I I is illustrated in section and it is to be understood that the section as shown here is one which has been found to serve quite satisfactorily, but that various changes may be effected and the dimensions thereof may be altered within limits without departing from the original inventive concept and while still retaining the advantages peculiar to the invention as herein described. This rail I0 has a hollow rectangular portion 25 which imparts to the structural form a definite amount of rigidity and since it is a box section, it resists torsional forces to a considerable extent. The rib IB has a web 2I and a beaded portion 22 and extends outwardly, that is, upwardly at the top of the frame, and downwardly at the bottom, since these rails Ill and I I are oppositely directed as illustrated in Fig. 1, and they serve to connect or attach the suspending means I6 and I'I which are preferably clamped to the beaded portion of the rib so as to be maintained permanently in position. Normally four suspending means are employed, two at the top and two at the bottom, although the particular number is not limited thereto and may be varied at will.

The extruded section includes in addition to the parts already mentioned a web 23 which continues from one side of the hollow, rectangular,

l box-like portion of the form and terminates at its free edge in an enlarged portion in which is formed during the extruding operation, or in any other satisfactory manner, a groove 24 for the reception of the heddle carrying bar I4 or I5, as the case may be. It also comprises a ribbed or bulbous extension 25 which serves as a track forl the heddle backer of ,the drawing'in machine. That gives an additional and precisely located guide means independent of the heddle carrying bars or rods themselves.

Preferably the groove 24 is inclined slightly as illustrated in Fig. 2 so that the heddle carrying bar inserted in that groove may incline slightly to provide sufficient space between the bar and the face of the web 23 for ready sliding movement of the hooked ends 26 of the heddles I9. As an alternative, the groove may not be inclined while the bar may be bent slightly so its disposal beyond the groove is one in which it is inclined or offset to permit the heddles to be threaded and to slide with adequate clearance. The parts just above described are susceptible of varying forms and dimensions, but the general principles remain the same and it is not considered necessary to illustrate any of the different forms of the bar I4 or of the supporting structure in which it is carried at this point.

Now referring to Fig. 3, a similar top or bottom rail is shown, this rail having been formed of steel and being of relatively thin section. The fabrication of the rail may be by pressing and rolling the stock to shape, and, in certain instances, welding of the parts may be resorted to if desired. The rail comprises a hollow portion 21 which is closed as the edge 23 of the stock is brought into contact with the material adjacent the web 29 and this web is bent into proper form at its free edge to present a groove 3l) in which the bar I4 is supported, it being evident that the general shape and function of the rolled steel form is similar to that provided by the light metal extrusion. In Fig. 3 no connecting means is illustrated but suspending hooks may be attached to the hollow structural form 21 in any convenient manner.

It is to be noted that, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the front edge 3I of the relatively free edge of the web 23 extends upwardly far enough to embrace the bar I4 and to support it rather rigidly in proper angular position. This front extension, however, is terminated a short distance from the ends of the rails to permit the heddle carrying bars I 4 orI5 to be bent outwardly or forwardly as the frame is viewed in Fig. 1 so as to remove or replace these bars or to thread or remove heddles therefrom when the ends of the bars have been unlatched as will hereinafter be described. Preferably, the ends of each bar are bent outwardly as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 5, so they tend to snap out of line beyond the face of the frame to permit removal or threading of the heddles. This initial flexure imposes a pressure on the latch means to keep it from loosening. The bars are thus supported through substantially their entire length by the rails I0 and II and this supporting structure embraces both sides of the bars for an appreciable extent as well as sustaining them from beneath, or from above, as the case may be. This provides an extremely rigid construction and does not necessitate any depending hook members or spaced attachments for the heddle carrying bars such as have heretofore been employed, while at the same time, the

vframe assembly permits free movement of any afl heddles IQm OIfe efd f @mi 'frame ftQ im@ other since' there are no 'Oltru'instwhat'so'ief to, their Yteirig |sliiv along meinV respective A bars, this being an uadi/antage in thattnereiisuno tena enfcy or the heddles to be :crowded to one/.side 'or thf'eother ofy the YbarY sus'p'endn'lg for attaching ineens asimay well 'be expfecglrvhen illes@ 1531's.' .are not, ,Supported ,thfQugh-Q bei? lltle length since tjeyjrnust" 'th Ln be'fsubie'cted to some 'alpvecebemomt If, djectCn-l.,

y '",Ihe end struts lf2 and'I"are'preferablyforme'd s eminem ailotfathoughtih r-fne'i'als er materials rnay be employed, andthe 'attachment 7' means of rivets 32 serves very satisfactorily,

ie.. hollehtherneifs .Thes'eind Struts erejies e j, for tlrereceptionof bar-retar ng? means -1- of a 'quickly relie-sable latch member such "as that illustrated, 2althogl'r it "i-s 'to ibe- `under- .:'Stodfht the D'ltiu'llfl f'n ich airis may take is not and of 'itself -a parteci the instant invention. A

The 1;"eeess`3i3` is disposed between theside'ribs y3l and; 35 which are, of eor'se, `integral parts of thel strut` I3 andthe in.' r jrib*sueh as 35 lis f 'notched as illustratedv at I'2|"6, vFi"g.f5, for the Vlrecep- "tion of theend off'bar "FIL A Thesebars I4 fand I5 r'are long enough to overlap the end vstruts as shown', but t within the notches'and do not extend quite to the opposite edge of there'c'esses "33' or tothe outer rib '-members'suehas the rib 1M. The latch means moreco'mplet'elyslfifown'and 'described in nited Sta-tes "Patent No. 2,556,468 comprises va swinging Vdetent 3l Api-'Vot'e'dfo'n a rivet 38 or other suitable pivot means extending throughthe ribs34 and 35L and having a hook 39 at its free end. This deteht SHSO pvoted and v"so shaped'as to press agains't-theflat lside Iof the bar I4 or I5, as the case may be'-,"and"retain it Vinwardly against the back Ye`d'ge-of"`tl1'e notch 3B.

'The other portion of the latch means comprises 'a hookA "40- pivoted 'on the centra-l5 portion-'4I of a -Wire ba-il "42 the o'pposedfends K3fand4'4 of which extend through suitablefaperturesfn the 'll'to engage 'the hook 139 yioftle detent is lalsof'provided with 'an end 'extensiono'r Vthur'n'b "piece d'fwhichserves to release'tl-i'e detentandY to permitv the hook `39""ton be moved? outW'ardlyif-rom lthe l'reefss This is normally ldoi-'lei'rbyfhan'dfor a suitable "tool inlay 'be employed to 'pry' the vtlnimb piece-'outwardlywhereupon the entire mechanism may be released and swung to a position in which the hook end 45 disengages the hook end 39 and the detent may be swung upwardly to free the 'end' bar I4. As illustrated `in Fig; 5, the bail lIIZ swings past a dead center* positionas the parts are latched so that theyeare resiliently retained in'position since the dimensions of the partsy are such that when? injthe latched position "lea'sed and-removed; ormayibe'releasedsothebar ends may swing outwardly to permit threading or removal of a heddle or heddles.

The bars upon which the heddles are carried may be hardened as stated, or may be stainless steel which will stand the action of the heddles 6 r'qijiite- We-1 1'. -ItnQay be ehromiiiiii piated if desired 'to-*present ahard-'smooth surface for greater 'ease-in threadingor removing heddles. "The bar rrray 'be reversed to -inploy bothjside's'.

"lfrom thenabove vdesc-ription the manner v'in which lthe various 'parts Vof ItheY frame 'are disposed orA manipulated during threading -on or 'removing heddles and the Way it functions during `'dratvin'g in atva'rpshouldbeevident. v'Ilfie fra-me is set up in the drawing-in lmachi'neas usi'ialand tliefree movement `of heddles from one end "to f the other facilities the vvorkfofA that machine.

i In -theeppendediclaims reference is madeto innerj and Ylouter portions o'f'the rails. These sub'4 visions refervtoth/e pato'ftliejral Within the hollow rectangle formed by the frame 'and to fthe top `and bottom, peripheral parts thereof, respectively. For' example, A`the 'grooves `in which the heddle bar's are-seated open inthe direction of the outerVportion-'orf the rail or at'vaiyffi'om the inner or more centrally located part thereof.

While one v'erribooliment 'and a modication of vthe 'invention have been disclosed, it lvis V:to Vbe Aunderstood that ythe yinventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to belimi'tedfto the :precise 'details described, but is intended to cover -all variationsandfniodicat'ions thereoffalling Within the spiritof the inventionf-andtheiscope of the claims.

I claim: A Y '1. ln a harness frameror loomslthe'combina- 'tion'of t'oprand bottom rai-lsand-end struts inter- -connected vto y'form a rigid, rectangular frame, "eachsaid topfandv bottomrail being of relatively rigid, deflection resistant section the inner portionjof which comprises a web and a-bulbous edge portiongrooved throughout a si'ibstantialpartv of its length', said groove beingo'pen'inv the direction of the outer portion vofthe rail aheddle supportving'baridirectly seated insaid groove and extending into` said end strutsand a latch "means" carried by'each saidend strut and 'engageable with the end of said bar therein for releasably retaining it in position'.

2. Ina ll'i-arnes's frame-'for 'looms' theA combinationjof top and bottom rails and attached end `struts which, when assembled, comprise va rigid "rectangular frame, each said top' and bottom rail being formed-'asa hollow sectionfrom which pr'ojects'an integral web' portion Withits relatively Vfree` edgevg'roo'ved Vtl'iroughout a substantial por- 'tion 'of' its length, said'groove being `open" in the direction 'of the'ou'ter portion ofv the' raila heddle Ysupporting 4bar directly' seated 'in sa'i'd groove, and'latch :means for retaining vtheends ofV said bar, 4said 'latch means'being' 'readily releasable topermit removal' of-v the'bar.

y 3. In'afharness frame forlo'o'rns the combinations of'topA and bottom railsfand attached -end struts Which, `When assembled, comprise' a'rigid, rectangular frame, each-'said topl and bottom rail being formed as a 'deflection resisting, structural shape a portionv of 'whichiex-tends' toward the lcenter of the frame as a` Web the relatively tree, inner edge of lwhich is formed to provide a*grooveextending'along substantially theA en'- rtire-mid"section of th'enframe to a point at each 'end-closely `vadjacen't-"the-"end struts, said groove being openinthedirection'of theouter portion of the rail a heddle supporting bar directly but removably seated in said groove, and latch means at the bar ends and carried by the end struts for locking the bar in position, but permitting its ready release for removal.

4. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached end struts which, when assembled, comprise a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as a hollow section from which projects an integral Web portion with its relatively free edge grooved for a substantial portion of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, notches in said end struts into which the ends of said bar extend for limiting the movement of the bar in a direction parallel to the length of the struts, and latch means for releasably retaining the said ends of the bar in said notches.

5. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached end struts which, when assembled, comprise a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as an extruded, light metal section including a web portion the relatively free edge of which is grooved for a substantial portion of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a hardened steel heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, and means including a releasable latch means at each strut for engaging an end of the bar and retaining it in said groove.

6. In a harness frame .for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached end struts which, when assembled, comprise a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as an extruded, light metal section comprising a hollow box portion, a suspending rib and a Web the free edge of which is grooved for a substantial portion of its length intermediate its ends, but is open at one side for a short portion of its extent at each end, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a hardened steel heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, and means including a releasable latch means at each strut for engaging an end of the bar and retaining it in said groove.

7. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached end struts which, When assembled, comprise a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as an extruded, light metal section including a Web portion the relatively free edge of Which is grooved for a substantial portion of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a hardened steel heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, notches in said end struts aligned with said bar when it is fully seated in the groove into which the ends of the bar are received, recesses in said struts adjacent the said notches, and means for releasably locking the bar ends in their notches, said means comprising latches positioned in said recesses.

8. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached end struts which, when assembled, comprise a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as an extruded, light metal section including a web portion the relatively free edge of which is of enlarged, bulbous form, a groove therein the front wall of which is discon- .iainued adjacent the ends of the rail to permit the ends of the bar heldin the groove to be flexed beyond the face of the frame during insertion or Withdrawal of the bar, notches in said end struts aligned with said bar when it is fully seated in the groove into Which the ends of the bar are received, recesses in said struts adjacent the said notches, and means for releasably locking the bar ends in their notches, said means comprising latches positioned in said recesses.

9. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and end struts interconnected to form a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being of relatively rigid, deflection resistant section a portion of which comprises a web and a bulbous edge portion grooved throughout a substantial part of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove and extending into said end struts, the ends of said bar beyond the point of termination of said retaining groove being initially bent to spring outwardly, and a latch means carried by each said end strut and engageable With the end of said bar therein for releasably locking it in position.

10. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and attached struts which, when assembled, comprise a rigid rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being formed as a hollow section from which projects an integral Web portion with its relatively free edge grooved throughout a substantial portion of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a tracklike bead adjacent the said edge serving as a guide means for a heddle backer of a drawing-in machine, a heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, and latch means for retaining the ends of said bar.

l1. In a harness frame for looms the combination of top and bottom rails and end struts interconnected to form a rigid, rectangular frame, each said top and bottom rail being of relatively rigid, deflection resistant section a part of which comprises a web and a bulbous edge portion grooved for a part of the extent of its length, said groove being open in the direction of the outer portion of the rail a heddle supporting bar directly seated in said groove, said bulbous edge portion further being so formed as to present a track-like bead which serves as a guide means for a heddle backer of a drawing-in machine.

PAUL C. CONSOLETTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 628,628 Ingersoll July 11, 1899 1,551,732 Colman Sept. 1, 1925 2,386,600 Drake Oct. 9, 1945 2,447,274 Peterson Aug. 17, 1948 2,461,496, Kaufmann Feb. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 244,577 Switzerland Sept. 30, 1946 514,375 France Nov. 13, 1920 

